Eventually, hype needs to become reality. Hope needs to transform into results. And slowly, but surely New Jersey Devils defenseman Jon Merrill is proving that he’s capable of playing at the NHL level.

The 21-year-old native of Brighton, Mich. was taken with the 38th overall pick in the 2010 draft, and immediately had some lofty expectations placed on his shoulders. But he endured three inconsistent and injury-riddled seasons at the collegiate level with Michigan, cracking a vertebrae in his back during an exhibition game last season. However, he managed to stay positive throughout the recovery process.

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“I never stopped believing, I always hoped that I’d get an opportunity to play in the NHL, and I just kept working hard,” Merrill said. “I’m fortunate to be here now.”

After starting the season with the Devils top-minor league affiliate in Albany, he was called up in the first week of November, but logged just 1:16 worth of ice time after getting tripped by Minnesota’s Torrey Mitchell and flying violently into the boards.

But aside from that, Merrill says things have been going pretty well for him in his first NHL stint.

“Every game, I just keep getting more comfortable and getting a little bit more experience,” he said. “The biggest thing is just the schedule, you’ve got a lot of games right now, so it’s important to make sure you keep your body in the right shape by doing the right things off the ice. It’s going well so far.”

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The same can be said for Edmonton Oilers forward David Perron. The 25-year-old forward is in his first year in Western Canada after spending the first six seasons of his career with the St. Louis Blues. But he was dealt to Edmonton this off-season in exchange for Magnus Pajaarvi and a second-round draft choice.

The adjustment to learning a new system wasn’t as challenging as Perron thought it might be.

“I think it’s completely different, but similar at the same time,” he said. “There’s things that once you get on the ice, it’s hockey…but I think the structure of the team is completely different. St. Louis was a lot more defensive, and I think this team is trying to find the right balance of taking chances and finding the way to play the right way defensively at the same time. With the level of skill that’s in the room, it’s obviously an adjustment, but we’re getting there. I think it’s going in the right direction.”

Perron, the Blues first-round draft choice in 2007, played a big role in helping build St. Louis back up to where the franchise is now. Edmonton brought him in to do the same, and the move has paid early dividends; Perron has tallied 12 goals and added 13 assists in his first 27 games, and is on pace to set new career-highs in the major statistical categories.

“It’s fun, because it pushes you even more in that I’m only 25 and I’m the one of the older guys on the team compared to some of the other guys that are 21, 22,” said Perron of being part of a rebuild.

“It’s definitely a good chance for me to hopefully grow with them, the same thing that I did in St. Louis. Hopefully it’s five, six, seven-plus years that we all grow together and we can build that winning culture and winning feeling in the room. It’s what (head coach) Dallas Eakins is working towards.”

Although Edmonton has largely been a disappointment yet again this season – they sit in last place in the Western Conference with a 10-18-3 record – there are plenty of pieces to build around. The Oilers have attempted to rebuild through the draft, using recent top picks on skilled forwards Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle and Nail Yakupov.

“It’s fun, it’s impressive what they can do on the ice,” Perron said. “But at the same time, it’s finding that right balance of making plays versus being smart with the puck. I was probably the same as them coming up, wanting to score on every shift. There’s just a time and a place where you have to put the puck deep and be smart, and I think we’re really getting close with it. Everyone’s working hard, and I like how close our group is.”